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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, August 31, 2009

UH defeats HPU in women's soccer, 4-1


By Leila Wai
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Britta Bourne

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The hugs and smiles shared after the game were nowhere to be found during it, as the University of Hawai'i and Hawai'i Pacific University women's soccer teams battled it out in the Outrigger Hotels "Hawai'i College Soccer Showcase" last night.

A crowd of 1,067 at the Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Stadium saw Hawai'i senior forward Britta Bourne score two goals as the Rainbow Wahine, wearing their road green uniforms, beat the Sea Warriors, 4-1.

The Division I Rainbow Wahine improved their season record to 1-1-1 and their record against HPU to 9-0. The Division II Sea Warriors fell to 2-1-0.

"I think it's kind of cool. It's nice playing people you've seen around," Bourne said. "We all grew up playing each other in club or in high school, so it's nice to get out there and be out there in front of your fans. And you're in college now and you've gotten to that level, and it's nice to share that with them, sort of on the field, in a way."

In a matchup of teams filled with players from Hawai'i — UH has 17 on its roster, HPU has 16 — neither team held back. Seventeen fouls were called.

One person not smiling after the game was Hawai'i coach Pinsoom Tenzing, who was disappointed with his team's play.

"We were as flat as a pancake, and I think this is the worst we've played as far back as I can remember," he said. "We're still finding our feet, but it's been years now that we've played quality soccer, and this was an embarrassing display of soccer. We just powered by them by scoring four goals.

"HPU came to play, and we should have been ready for them, but (we) weren't."

Bourne scored her first goal on a hustle play in the 22nd minute. Sophomore Brittani Lum started the play with a long ball from her left defender's position, and Bourne competed with a defender before winning the ball and chipping it over the head of HPU goalkeeper Carianne Makino.

Hawai'i junior defender Chelsea Deptula scored the game's second goal on an assist from junior midfielder Mari Punzal, who collected a clear off her own throw-in and sent it back to the front of the goal for Deptula to head in with six minutes left in the first half.

Bourne scored again on an assist from sophomore midfielder Rachel Domingo, who threaded a ball between two defenders. Bourne took the pass and finished with a low shot into the left side of the goal five minutes into the second half.

Hawai'i senior midfielder Vanessa Bailey scored four minutes later after Hawai'i Pacific failed to clear a free kick by Ambree Ako. The ball bounced a couple of times inside the 18-yard box before Bailey put it away.

Freshman midfielder Amber Fuller scored for the Sea Warriors after beating a defender to a pass from junior Taylor Hoesterey, touched it to her right, and shot past UH goalkeeper Kanani Taaca in the 82nd minute.

"I was really happy with the overall play," HPU coach Michele Nagamine said. "I kind of got on them in the beginning because we came out and started with a bang and after that we backed off a little bit and then picked up momentum again. We definitely finished strong. To come back and score a goal when it's 4-0, that says a lot about their determination, and I'm really proud of them.

"But for our kids, they play in front of 50 people, and they are out here in front of all these people, and there are drums, there's music, there's people screaming, and the fact that the crowd was pro-HPU was good for them to see. I think people came out and just supported the Hawai'i teams, and that was awesome."

Hawai'i next hosts Alabama-Birmingham and Pacific in the Outrigger Hotels and Resorts Soccer Classic Friday and Sunday. Hawai'i Pacific plays Hawai'i-Hilo Sunday.